


The Girl in White

by AlphaScorpiixx



Series: Hearts Shaped Like Stars [1]
Category: Kingdom Hearts (Video Games)
Genre: Gen, I like dramatic irony too much can you tell, Kingdom Hearts 3 spoilers, Slight Canon Divergence, written before remind
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-02
Updated: 2020-04-02
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:21:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23450881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlphaScorpiixx/pseuds/AlphaScorpiixx
Summary: Naminé awakens in the Final World and meets another lonely heart.
Series: Hearts Shaped Like Stars [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1970083
Comments: 6
Kudos: 16





	The Girl in White

Inside Kairi’s heart, Naminé slept. She wrapped herself in the princess’s light, all peace and warmth and comfort, sheltered from the pain of her brief existence.  Occasionally, she caught brief glimpses of Kairi’s memories and feelings. Determination when she swung her Keyblade, frustration when her magic didn’t respond, but also a light flutter when her thoughts drifted to a certain boy.

If Naminé could smile, she would. She was happy for her Other, and proud of what she’d accomplished.

Flashes of her own memories appeared in her dreams, but those mostly consisted of white walls and dark coats, so she did her best to ignore them.

Inside Kairi’s heart, she had no body, but she was also safe from the darkness.

*

One moment she was there, surrounded by warmth as always. Then terror stabbed her heart.

_ Kairi?  _

_ What’s happening? _

_ Where are you? Where’s Sora? _

She reached out, searching, searching for any glimmer of light. She brushed other hearts, but they were gone before she could reach them.

The warmth was ripped away, and darkness swallowed her.

*

“Hello?”

Her awareness gradually returned. Her fingers twitched, and she breathed in and out.

(These were her fingers, her lungs. Had she returned to her own body? But what happened to Kairi?)

“Can you hear me?”

Naminé blinked and stared at the great expanse of sky. She sat up and found herself surrounded by clouds—no, the watery ground only reflected the sky above. Sparkles of light drifted around them, like dust illuminated by the sun.

“Are you alright?”

Naminé finally realized someone was speaking to her. A few feet away stood a girl dressed in white.

The girl sat down on her knees. Long ginger hair framed a round face, and concern filled her bright sea-green eyes. But her body—light passed through her body, like she was made of mist.

“I . . . Where . . . ? Where am I?”

The girl hesitated. Her gaze dropped. “I’m not sure. This place . . . It’s for those who haven’t yet passed on.”

“Passed on?” Naminé looked down at her own transparent form. She remembered the terror and the all-consuming darkness. Had Kairi . . . ?

Her eyes burned. 

A hand closed around her own. Despite the girl’s indistinct form, her touch brought warmth and comfort. Naminé’s composure cracked, and tears spilled down her face. The girl wrapped her in a tight embrace. Naminé couldn’t recall the last time someone had hugged her—not Kairi, but  _ her _ . She savored the feeling.

“What’s your name?” the girl asked, loosening her hold so she could see her face.

“I’m Naminé.”

“ _ Naminé _ ,” the girl repeated. “That’s a pretty name. Like the sound of the waves.”

She blushed, slightly embarrassed. “What’s yours?”

The girl glanced away and played with the hem of her skirt. “I don’t remember. I’ve been here so long that things just . . . slip away.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Naminé returned the gesture and gave the girl’s hand a comforting squeeze. “You don’t remember anything?” For a memory witch, the thought of losing hers made Naminé terrified. Without her memories, and others’ memories of her, her fragile existence would fade away.

The girl closed her eyes. “I remember . . . I remember sunlight. A bright dawn sun that made the sky pink and gold. Sometimes I would get up early and sit on the rooftops to watch the sunrise. I love the quiet mornings, before everyone else is awake. Oh! And flowers. Lots and lots of beautiful flowers that I’d grow on my windowsill.” 

Flowers and sunlight . . . The description struck a chord in Naminé’s memory—Kairi’s memory, rather—a faint recollection of her homeworld. Was this girl also from Radiant Garden? Maybe that explained her presence here—her heart could have been lost long ago when the world fell to darkness.

The girl opened her eyes, a bittersweet smile on her face. She wiped a tear away. “Sorry, I . . . I didn’t realize how much I miss home. Or talking to people. Tell me about your home. Where are you from?”

“That’s . . . hard to answer. I’m not from anywhere. I’m not even supposed to exist.”

“What? Of course you’re meant to exist!” Indignation chased away her earlier sadness.

“But I’m not really a person, just a Nobody. We don’t exist in anyone’s hearts. I was supposed to return to my Other, or fade into nothingness.”

“That can’t be right! You don’t deserve to have your life taken from you. Your heart is bright and strong.”

“What?” Naminé shook her head. “No. Nobodies don’t have hearts.”

“But if you’re here, that means you have a heart.” The girl gestured around them. What Naminé had mistaken for dust were glimmers of light in the shapes of stars. She lifted her hand and let them brush her fingers. Faint voices echoed in her mind.

_ Aren’t you . . . looking for me? _

_ This isn’t right . . . you’re supposed to be here . . . _

_. . . where . . . where did you go? _

_ I’m waiting . . . _

She gasped and pulled her hand away.

“See?” the girl said. “Hearts. Like you and me.”

“That’s so . . .” 

_ Sad _ , Naminé was about to say. But they were also free from the pain of living. Fear, loss, rejection. All were mere memories to these lost hearts. Naminé had experienced her fair share of pain, and she was glad to be rid of it, even if it meant she was trapped— _ sleeping _ , just sleeping—inside Kairi’s heart. 

Wait,  _ Kairi _ .

“So they must be here, too!” Naminé jumped to her feet.

“Wait!” The girl chased after her. “Where are you going?”

Naminé didn’t answer and ran to the next cluster of stars. “Kairi!” She called. “Sora? Riku . . . ? Please, you can’t be gone.”

The light, the guardians destined to save the world. They were lost.

The girl gently touched her arm. “I don’t think your friends are here,” she whispered.

Naminé stifled a sob. “Then w-where are they?”

“I don’t know. But I don’t think they’re gone.”

“How can you be sure?”

“Because  _ you’re _ still here. Reach out with your heart.”

“But—”

“What? You don’t think that’s possible?” The girl frowned and grabbed Naminé’s shoulder. “And don’t say it’s because you don’t exist. We’re here talking together. I think you can help them, too. Everyone is connected in some way. Even you and I—somehow we found each other, even though we’ve never met before. Connections are powerful. If you draw upon them, I’m sure you can do more than you imagine.”

Connections. Naminé thought for a moment. She didn’t know if the girl was really right about Naminé having a heart, but part of herself was clinging to life. Clinging to her memories and her dreams.

If she had found this girl, maybe she could find the others.

“Alright. I’ll try.”

The girl held Naminé’s hand, providing an anchor point. Naminé closed her eyes and reached for the connections. 

*

She imagined them as strings joining herself to other hearts, countless pathways spanning great distances. She touched Kairi’s light. The darkness hadn’t severed the ties to her Other. And Sora’s also remained strong. Kairi kept him tethered, their bond unbreakable.

But the rest of the Guardians were weak, holding on by the thinnest of threads. Naminé reached Riku, then Aqua, Ventus, and—

A faint heart. Nearly overtaken by darkness, but he held on by sheer force of will.

_ Can you hear me? _

No response. Naminé drew on the strength of the other bonds and strained toward his heart. The light was fading, but all she needed was a spark.

_ Are you Terra? _

_ Who . . . are you? _

_ I’m a friend. I can help you, but you just have to hold on. _

_ Aqua . . Ven . . . _

Naminé’s heart ached for him. He must also feel their loss. 

_ Loss? _

Oh, no. She tried to backtrack, but Terra latched onto her thoughts of his friends.

_ Aqua? Ven? What happened to them! _

_ I don’t know. _

Sorrow and anger and regret flooded from his heart into her, and the link almost broke.

_ No, don’t let go! They’re fighting for you, but you have to hang on! Just a little longer! _

Darkness overwhelmed her. She lost her focus.

_ Terra!  _

She searched for a connection before she lost herself entirely. The web was all tangled, too many strings and too much pain.

There—the tight squeeze of a hand on hers.

“Is everything alright? Naminé?”

The girl’s voice called her back to focus. She almost resurfaced, but something tugged at the strings. A distant connection, older than any of the others. Curious, she reached out. The bond wasn’t clear enough for her to talk to them, but she got impressions: darkness and Keyblades and dandelion seeds drifting into the sky.

_ What . . . ? _

_ Something wrong? _

_ They’re in danger . . . the darkness . . . I can’t save them. _

_ Then let me help. _

_ You? But, who are you? _

But the stranger’s light faded before they could say.

She’d done all she could. Naminé finally let go of the strings and let the girl guide her back.

*

Naminé opened her eyes. She was lying on her back, her hair floating around her head. The girl placed a hand on her shoulder and helped her sit up.

“Did you find them?”

Naminé drew a ragged breath. Her eyes welled up. “They’re still alive. They’re hanging on.”

The girl grinned. “If they’re still fighting, then everything will be okay.”

They sat together in silence and watched the stars drift by. Naminé gazed at the sky and wondered if the sun ever set in this world. Clouds floated above their heads, but there was no way to mark the passage of time. How easily one could spend an eternity here. Naminé signed and leaned her head against the girl’s shoulder. Could lost souls still sleep? Following hearts took more energy than she realized.

“Naminé, look!”

“Huh?” She opened her eyes, blinking away her weariness, but one glance down chased away all exhaustion.

Her body was fading.

“Was it too much?” the girl asked, holding tightly to Naminé’s arm.

“No . . .” Naminé whispered. “I think it worked!” Tears spilled down her face. A distant light called to her own. “Kairi’s heart is calling me. I’m returning to her.”

The girl smiled and pulled her into a tight hug. “See? I knew you had a heart. I guess this is goodbye.”

“Maybe you can come with me!”

The girl pulled away and shook her head. “No, that’s okay. I’m waiting for someone.”

“But what if you can’t remember them?”

The girl bit her lip and averted her gaze. “He’ll find me,” she whispered. “He has to.”

“No. You can’t stay here forever. I’ll come back for you.” Naminé lifted the girl’s hand and joined their pinkies. “I promise.”

Naminé felt Kairi’s light call her back. Her form began dissipating, and her fingers slipped out of the other girl’s. 

She gave Naminé a small smile. “Goodbye, Naminé. I hope I get to see you again.”

_ Naminé, are you there? _

_ Kairi? _

“Wait,” Naminé rushed to say before her body disappeared. “The person you’re waiting for. Tell me his name, and I’ll try to find him.”

“It’s—” The girl whispered the name just as Naminé faded entirely.

*

One moment was darkness, and the next—

Light.

She was alive.

*

The flowered boroughs of Radiant Garden took her breath away, but that world didn’t feel like home. She’d spent most of her first year of life in Twilight Town, though the sleepy haze of sunset wasn’t right, either. She spent time in both worlds, adjusting to her newfound freedom and the steady beating in her chest.

Strange, she’d never noticed that feeling before.

*

The sand was warm, the island peaceful, and the people comforting.

She stared out at the ocean and watched the waves ripple over the sand. Even the peaceful beach at sunset had more life than that other endless sea. The fading light glittered over the water, like the memory of star-shaped hearts.

“Naminé?” Xion nudged her arm. “Is everything alright?”

“Yeah.” Naminé blinked a few times and cleared her head.

“You seemed lost for a moment. Are you sure you don’t want to talk?”

She returned Xion’s concern with a quick, less-than-confident smile. “No, I’m fine. Really.”

Xion didn’t seem quite convinced, but she dropped her gaze and gathered up their seashell collection.

As the last light of sunset vanished, the group bid their farewells and returned to their homeworlds.

“Is there somewhere you want to go, Naminé?” Riku asked.

“Oh, um.” She bit her lip. Where was home for her?

“You could always stay here,” Kairi offered.

“Here?”

Kairi motioned toward the larger islets. “There are houses on the main island. That’s where we live, me and Riku and . . . You can stay there with us, if that’s what you want.”

Naminé gazed toward the sea. “Yeah. I’d like that.”

*

Naminé sat on her bed, knees drawn up to her chest. She breathed in the salty seaside air. Outside her window, the islet was faintly visible against the pre-dawn sky.

_ Sometimes I would get up early and sit on the rooftops to watch the sunrise. I love the quiet mornings, before everyone else is awake. _

She couldn’t help but think of that girl, lost in the world between sea and sky, waiting for someone to find her.  _ Maybe waiting isn’t good enough, _ Kairi had once said.

Connections. People strengthen one another, and the two lost girls found each other for a reason.

Naminé pulled out her sketchbook and began to draw.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I desperately need these sad girls to meet each other. Nomura, please bring Strelitzia back, I'm begging you.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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